Chief Bates began his fire service career in 1983 with the Perry Township Fire Department in Lake County where he started as a paid-on-call firefighter and progressed through the ranks to become the fire chief. He joined the Madison Township Fire Department in August 2000 and was promoted to Chief in January of 2013.

Chief Bates holds an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Fire Science from Lakeland Community College, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Fire and Safety Engineering from the University of Cincinnati and a Masters Degree in Organizational Leadership from Gonzaga University. He is also a graduate of the Ohio Fire Executive Program.

In 2003 Chief Bates was named Fire Official of the Year by the Central Ohio Code Officials Association. He is currently the Chairman of the Ohio Fire Chiefs Association Legislative Committee and is an adjunct faculty staff member at the Ohio Fire Academy.